1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to data file delivery systems for construction projects and more particularly to a system for automatically delivering project data files to a construction machine based on the geographical location and identification of the construction machine.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of digital project data files and precise machine positioning is becoming more common for construction project applications such as mining, roads, land fill, site preparation and building. The project data files generally include digital terrain models. The digital terrain models have geographical and elevation coordinates for current and planned design surfaces. The workers at project sites use the terrain models with precise local positions for operating construction machines such as excavators, stakers, bulldozers, post hole diggers, and the like. The worker arrives at the site, unloads the machine and begins determining positions. However, before he can begin work he needs to be given the project data files that are pertinent for his project and machine.
The project data files are generally stored and maintained in a project database somewhere other than the project site. There may be project data files for tens of different projects and hundreds of machines in a central database at a headquarters office. These files may be carried to the site in a hardware form such as a compact disc or downloaded using a radio system or telephone connection from the database to each machine. However, there is the non-trivial task of sorting out the digital terrain models that are pertinent to a particular project for a particular machine from the hundreds of others. The task is made more difficult for projects covering a large area because the size of the data files becomes unwieldy and geographical calibrations may be different for different locations within the project. Existing systems accomplish the selection task with the use of project and work order numbers. Unfortunately, the use of project and workorders numbers can be subject to daily human error and, in any case, become difficult to implement when the machines move their location across geographical boundary lines within the project site that may not be visible to the operator.
There is a need for a construction project data delivery apparatus that automatically selects and delivers the project data files that are pertinent for a construction machine at a project site. There is a further need for a construction project data delivery apparatus that automatically delivers new project data as the machine moves within the site.